


a yearning so true

by songs



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 5+1 Things, Happy Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Outsider, actually this is a 4+1 i fricked up the math!!! rip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 19:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6437947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/songs/pseuds/songs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During practice, Yahaba focuses on Oikawa and Iwaizumi, who both seem happy enough. He studies them from afar, and misses several receives because of it. Mizoguchi— the <i>monster</i>— booms at him to run five laps, and ten suicides. Yahaba, midway to dying, reaches enlightenment on his seventh suicide. Oikawa is smiling. Iwaizumi is smiling.</p><p>But only when they’re staring at each other.</p><p>OR</p><p>  <i>a relationship study, from the outside-in. 4 times people noticed iwaizumi and oikawa dancing around their feelings, and 1 time that they finally aren't.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	a yearning so true

1.

 

Yuriko knows that she is beautiful.

 

People always tell her as much. And she isn’t blind, by any means. She was born with a pretty face— almond-round eyes, unblemished skin. Yet it’s never been something she’s prideful of; people don’t control their genes, after all.

 

Singing is different.

 

Music requires effort, and drive. Yuriko has both. From a young age, she practices her scales, perfects her breathing. She strives for a voice as lovely as the passion built behind it.

 

Yuriko expects her high-school career to go like this: chorus classes, singing groups, and studying. She doesn’t particularly want a boyfriend, despite all the boys who seem interested in her. She decides to go to Aoba Jousai— a school known for its immaculate grades, powerhouse sports teams, and gorgeous music.

 

There, she meets Oikawa Tooru.

 

He’s very clearly the star of their year. He’s a blooming talent on the volleyball team— a sport Yuriko reckons the student body would probably not care about, had he not been in the club. He’s more popular than even the starting pitcher on the baseball team— a handsome boy named Takeda. Yuriko’s seen Oikawa from afar: a tall, lanky flirt of a boy, who always seems to have a sea of girls surrounding him.

 

She gets it, though. He’s charming. She finds out firsthand, one spring afternoon, when she’s carrying textbooks to the teacher’s lounge. Trudging down the hallway, she wishes that she’d had the foresight to only bring half the books at a time. They’re rather heavy, and her destination is quite the distance away.

 

And then, suddenly, the weight is lifted. Literally. Long, strong arms whisk the _Chemistry 101_ textbooks from her grasp, and she looks up abruptly, only to be met with a white, gleaming smile, and twinkling eyes.

 

“You looked like you were having a bit of trouble,” Oikawa Tooru tells her, almost sheepishly. “Sorry to just snatch these from you— Fujioka… Yuriko-chan?”

 

Yuriko blinks, rather surprised that he knows her name. She isn’t unpopular by any means, but she keeps a much lower profile than, well, someone on Oikawa’s level. He must sense her confusion, because his smile widens a bit, and he says:

 

“I actually saw your chorus recital, the other day!” Yuriko flushes red at this bit of information. “Your solo was amazing. _Cosi Fan Tutte,_ hm? You hit all the high notes very well.”

 

Yuriko cannot believe she’s hearing this. She cannot believe this entire situation, actually— what kind of shoujo-manga cliché was this? Boy helps girl carry heavy object, compliments her in the middle of the school corridor, girl falls in love?

 

“Thank you,” she murmurs, cheeks reddening despite herself. “That’s very kind of you to say, Oikawa-san.”

 

He says, “My sister took classical voice lessons, too. So I grew up listening to a lot of opera and arias. You’re very good! You should go pro, Yuriko-chan!”

 

And just like that, Yuriko is smitten. It’s embarrassing, but no less than a week later, she hands Oikawa Tooru a confession letter, which he accepts happily. He’s Yuriko’s first boyfriend, and she’s shocked to find that she’s his first real girlfriend, too.

 

“You seem like you’ve been dating girls your whole life,” she admits, the day they become official.

 

“Ah,” he says, “not really.”

 

And she soon finds out why.

 

Oikawa misses most of her recitals, after they begin dating— if she can even call it that. Most of their relationship consists of Yuriko texting him, and receiving a message back hours later, reading along the lines of: _Sorry, I had practice,_ or _Sorry, not this weekend,_ or, _I can’t meet then._

 

She goes to a few of his games, if only just to _see_ him. And that’s when she understands.

 

In the meager time Oikawa spends with Yuriko, he’s tentative. Sweet, airy, but not all there. On the court, he’s something else entirely. A starburst, wild and exhilarated, with horrific focus and strength.

 

She watches him jump for a serve, and for a moment, she sees herself on stage, singing the high _F_ in _Queen of The Night._ After he makes his third service ace, he high-fives another boy, with spiked hair and a gruff grin.

 

Yuriko breaks up with Oikawa four weeks after they start dating. She does it on the school rooftop, and she cannot miss the glint of— _relief_ in Oikawa’s gaze when she tells him, “I think we should end this.”

 

“Good luck with singing,” he tells her sincerely, when they part. “I believe in you, Yuriko-chan.”

 

Days later, she notices Oikawa walking alongside the same, rough-looking boy from the court. Their shoulders touch, and Oikawa is absolutely _beaming,_ an honest expression he never wore when he was with her.

 

Again, she understands.

 

(During her next recital, she notices the whirl of brown, unruly hair in the back of the audience seats. It settles her heart, somewhat. Like a final goodbye. She does not look for Oikawa afterwards. She sends him a text later though. It reads, _Thanks, and good luck to you, too._

Because Oikawa will need it.)

 

 

2.

 

Sakura does not get paid enough for her job.

 

She misses working at the pre-school. No amount of money could replace that constant, rewarding happiness— one bred from childish excitement and want for learning. High school is a completely different animal. Second years, especially, are a pain in the neck.

 

And Oikawa Tooru, a student in her homeroom class, is like a prick to the carotid artery.

 

At first, it was cute. The girls confessing, and all. Sakura is a romantic at heart, who will deny to her grave that she spends her Friday nights with a glass of wine and a tub of ice cream, rewatching sappy k-dramas and American romances. So yeah, it’s sweet at first. Young love and all.

 

But it _never stops._

 

Like clockwork, whenever Sakura is about to announce something to the class, whenever she’s about to start her lesson, some girl will sprout up— a girl who most _definitely_ doesn’t belong to classroom 2B— and announce, “I just want to speak to Oikawa-san for a second.”

 

The only one who seems to share Sakura’s grief is Iwaizumi Hajime, a quiet boy with a penchant for kicking Oikawa in the shins. Sakura is a bit grateful, for that, because she’s kind of a doormat. A recent college grad who landed a job at Seijoh— how lucky, she’d thought at first. Little did she know she was signing up for a year-long, eight- A.M. soap opera.

 

Oikawa, of course, has to treat every confession like it’s his first. Which is also sweet, and all, except Sakura has a class to run. So while he spends twenty or so minutes, rejecting the girl (or boy— a recent progression in the Oikawa Tooru Daytime Drama) who offers yet another untimely confession, Sakura is forced to pause her class, or offer a sharp, “Wrap it up, we have Japanese Lit to talk about,” and just— wait. Because of her damn, sappy, pitiable romantic heart.

 

Apparently, even Oikawa Tooru has a conscience, and starts to feel guilty about the entire ordeal. Sakura wishes he hadn’t. Because the next thing she knows, every morning, she has a new vase of posies on her desk, with a card written in impeccable kanji. _From Oikawa Tooru, to my favorite Professor._

After three days, Sakura has had enough.

 

“Is this your way of apologizing for disrupting my lessons,” she deadpans, after homeroom has ended, and the class has cleared out.

 

Oikawa actually blushes. “Um. Possibly.”

 

Sakura sighs. “Listen, kid— _Oikawa._ It’s none of my business what you do with your love life. Just, not in class, okay? And while the flowers are nice, I’d prefer if you’d stop giving me these.”

 

Oikawa nods. “Alright, Sakura-chan~” She glares, and he amends, “ _Sensei_.”

 

Before he leaves, she can’t help but add, “Also, Oikawa.”

 

He turns.

 

“You should give your time,” she begins, “and affections—” She gestures to the posies. “To the people who matter to you. Don’t waste it on empty relationships.”

 

Unconsciously, she darts her attention to Iwaizumi’s desk. If Oikawa notices, he mentions nothing of it. But his posture grows stiff, like he’s been caught, when he says:

 

“Sure thing, _Sakura-chan._ ”

 

Thankfully, the flowers stop coming after that. So do the ritual, morning confessions. Sakura can’t help but notice, however, that Oikawa keeps a distance between himself and Iwaizumi whenever she turns to look at him.

 

Well, whatever. It really is none of her business.

 

3.

 

In his first year of high school, Yahaba doesn’t mean to crush on his senpai. It honestly just happens.

 

He’s not an idiot. He knows the winding, rumor grapevine. Oikawa dates boys and girls indiscriminately, and it never lasts long. Yahaba would never jeopardize their teamwork over his feelings, but it’s still a super _duper_ , goopy mess. Whenever Oikawa gets too close, positioning him for a set, or a serve, Yahaba prays silently for swift death. _Anything,_ he pleads with the gods, _I’ll do anything, if you can stop me from blushing right now._

 

The gods, as it happens, do have a sense of pity. So Yahaba never does reveal his flaming crush. For once, he is beyond thankful for his semi, resting-bitchface, as Watari likes to call it. Whatever. It gets the job done.

 

Yahaba is sure he’ll get over it, sooner or later. Preferably sooner. He’s sure, _positive,_ it’s all about to end, until one day, on his way to the locker-rooms, he hears the hushed, staccato whispers. Nosy by nature, Yahaba peeks in, and instantly regrets it.

 

It’s Oikawa and Iwaizumi, standing close enough to _kiss._ Yahaba expects them to actually _do_ it, and he has half a mind to bolt, but his legs keep him planted, rooted in place. Oikawa is murmuring something faint, about geniuses and looming walls, and Iwaizumi in turn is uncharacteristically tender, when he brings a hand up to Oikawa’s face, before gently pulling away.

 

Yahaba swallows. _Are they dating?_ he wonders, frantically. _Are they together? How long? How long—_

He doesn’t understand why it hurts so much. He was never going to act on his feelings. But still— it stings. Even though he knows, in his heart of hearts, that the future-captain and future-ace could not be more perfect for one another.

 

 _Or not,_ he reckons, the next morning, when Oikawa announces he has a new girlfriend— some third year named _Ruri-chan_. Yahaba replays the scene from last afternoon— the two older boys, soft and almost intimate— and wonders if he misread something.

 

During practice, Yahaba focuses on Oikawa and Iwaizumi, who both seem happy enough. He studies them from afar, and misses several receives because of it. Mizoguchi— the _monster—_ booms at him to run five laps, and ten suicides. Yahaba, midway to dying, reaches enlightenment on his seventh suicide. Oikawa is smiling. Iwaizumi is smiling.

 

But only when they’re staring at each other.

 

4.

 

“This is a fucking mess,” Hanamaki announces.

 

“No kidding,” Mattsun says back.

It’s their third year of high school. University applications are piling up. Exams are haunting them like ghosts. The Spring High is nearing, clawing at them like a phantom.

 

And Iwaizumi and Oikawa are being humongous fucking idiots.

 

“How the hell did we become official, first?” Hanamaki asks. “They’ve literally had over a decade of this star-crossed love BS, and still haven’t admitted to anything. This is aging me. I’m going to go gray before I hit 20.”

 

Mattsun shrugs. “Apparently they’re planning on separating, for university.”

 

“I’m having chest pains,” Hanamaki complains. “Hook me onto life support. I can’t take this drama.”

 

“Some mouth-to-mouth can be arranged,” Mattsun says, with a wink. He leans in, pressing a chaste kiss to Hanamaki’s lips. Hanamaki kisses him back, deep and slow, before pulling away.

 

“Okay,” he says, out of breath. “What’s the plan?”

 

Mattsun winks. “For operation IwaOi? Leave it to me.”

 

-

-

 

Operation IwaOi ™ results in unprecedented failure. Hanamaki and Matsukawa try every cliché in the book— locking them in broom-closets, ditching them at lunch on the school rooftop, leaving surreptitious couple-café-coupons in their bags. The _works._

 

Nothing seems to succeed. Iwaizumi and Oikawa go on, oblivious to their shitty feelings as ever. Then midterms happen, then they lose the Spring Tournament, and then college looms around the corner, and Matsukawa and Hanamaki have issues of their own to sort out, and Operation IwaOi ™ is put on hold, because it can’t be helped. You can’t force two people together, no matter how well they fit. No matter how badly they both need it.

 

-

-

 

5.

 

Hajime receives the call in his second semester of university. He’s studying sports-medicine in Sendai, while Oikawa had went off to Tsukuba on a volleyball scholarship. He’s happy for the idiot, though he misses him terribly.

 

He receives the call when he gets back from class. Oikawa’s cheery, pop-tune ringtone chirps through his empty apartment. He picks up on the first ring, and doesn’t have a chance to say, _Hello,_ before Oikawa is blurting out—

 

“ _I made it._ ” He's screeching into the phone. His voice is high with excitement, pitched with static. “ _Onto the national, under-25 team. I made it. Iwa-chan. They picked me. They picked_ me!”

 

Hajime nearly drops his cellphone. By some miracle, he manages to keep it steady. He says, without an ounce of insincerity, “I knew you could do it. Tooru, I’m so happy for you. I’m so— _proud._ ”

 

Oikawa sounds like he’s weeping over the line. Hajime is practically in tears himself. He’s about to boot up his laptop, to search up train-tickets to Tokyo, leaving Friday. Oikawa, with his freaky, psychic-ability, might just sense the action through the phone, because he says:

 

“ _I need to see you.”_ His tone is clear, affectionate. “ _I want to see you so badly, I— Hajime. You’re the first person I told. You were the first person I could think to tell. It’s— it’s always you. Iwa-chan.”_

And it’s not an _I love you._ Not a grand, moonlit confession. But it’s them— Tooru and Hajime. Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

Hajime purchases a one-way ticket to Tokyo for the long weekend.

 

Into the phone, he tells Oikawa, “Me, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> i suppose you aren't a real hq!! fic writer until you cave and do a 5+1... even tho this is pretty much a 4+1. i'm sorry for all the OC's, but i hope you all were able to enjoy this. thank you for reading !


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